Rare, Almost 500,000 Million Years Old Starfish Set to Go on Display

A fossilized, million years old starfish will go on display at the National History Museum in Dublin.

An ancient fossilized ophiuroid starfish, commonly known as a brittle star, was recently found in Western Ireland. It was discovered by Dr. Eomann Doyle, a geologist for the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO global geopark.

This rare, 500,000 million years old specimen is an exciting piece of the puzzle for scientists working to uncover Earth’s geological history. This natural wonder is set to soon go on display in Dublin.

The Million Years Old Starfish to Help Tell the Story of Underwater Ireland

The starfish was uncovered in the Maam valley of the Maamturk mountain range by Dr. Doyle during his Ph.D. studies. It was then taken to Professor David Harper of Durham University.

He then studied the fossil with his international colleagues, Professor Daniel Blake of the U.S. and Professor Stephen Donovan from the Netherlands. Together, they determined that the fossil is nearly 435-million years old.

Harper commented on the importance of these specimens by saying that:

“These new and unique specimens of fossil starfish from the Silurian rocks of Connemara are a key piece of evidence in the hunt for ancient life in the long-vanished ocean that once covered Ireland, some 435 million years ago.”

Details about this rare, 500,000 million years old starfish have been published in the Irish Journal of Earth Sciences, which is released by the Royal Irish Academy. It is set to go on display at the National History Museum in Dublin. As such, lucky spectators will be able to observe this artifact of natural history first-hand.

Scientists, both in Ireland and around the world, are encouraged by discoveries like this one. They are one of the reasons why they will continue scouring the globe for evidence of our planet’s rich history. These brief glimpses into ancient life may just provide the key to unlocking unforeseen secrets of life on Earth as it is today.